Lisa Cayton of Louisville holds up signs protesting the treatment of circus animals. Defense of Animals and Animal Action Network are protesting the circus at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield this weekend.
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CLIFF GRASSMICK
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Hundreds gathered at Broomfield's 1stBank Center on Saturday afternoon for the El Jebel Shrine Circus, and while some turned out to see the clowns or the acrobats, a handful of volunteers stood in front of the arena to protest the show's treatment of its animals.

Displaying signs that read "Minutes of entertainment...A lifetime of misery," or "I'm an elefriend, don't go to the circus," and saying slogans like, "Your ticket contributes to cruelty, animals are enslaved here," five people protested the circus' 3 p.m. show.

The El Jebel Shrine Circus scheduled eight shows at the 1stBank Center this weekend, and Lisa Cayton, a circus action coordinator with Animal Defense International said volunteers from her organization, In Defense of Animals and the Colorado-based Animal Action Network, planned to protest every one.

Cayton, who lives in Louisville, and fellow volunteers distributed pamphlets to circus goers highlighting what they call poor living conditions for the animals -- notably elephants and tigers -- including excessive time spent in cages as well as physical and mental abuse perpetrated on the creatures.

The volunteers also encouraged people to skip the circus and visit the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keensburg, a facility that provides spaces for abandoned and neglected animals, especially big cats.

"These are wild animals. They are not domesticated animals, and the only way you can train a wild animal to do anything is through fear, through starvation, or through sleep deprivation," Cayton said. "These animals are horrifically abused."

She said circus trainers use whips, cattle prods and long spear-like objects called bullhooks when training their elephants.

Fellow volunteer Laura VonDrehle said she and her son, Derek, have participated in circus protests for the past four years, and will be in front of the 1stBank Center for another protest this afternoon.

While she doesn't fault parents for wanting their children to have the same happy memories of circuses they had, she said now that more information is available about the way circus animals are treated she hopes more people will see that circuses contribute to creatures' suffering.

"When I was a kid, we went to the circus," she said. "I've always loved animals, but I wasn't educated on what went into forcing them to do these tricks. It seems like our morality should evolve."

The Shriners partnered with George Carden International Circus for the Broomfield performances.

Larry Carden, George Carden's son, is the elephant superintendent for the circus. He said the circus is traveling with two elephants, seven tigers, 10 to 12 dogs and six ponies.

He said his animals are not mistreated, noting that he has known one of the elephants performing this weekend for 25 years and it is like family to him.

"Everybody has their opinion but we're really the professionals. We're with these animals every day, 24/7, 365," Carden said. "You cannot be around animals of any kind this much and not get attached."

He also disputed comments Cayton made about the animals being starved, saying the he provides the elephants with the best hay, as well as fruits and vegetables.

Nederland resident Leda Swann attended Saturday's matinee with her 7-year-old daughter, Mirabelle, who was meeting other kids for a friend's birthday.

Swann said she feels bad for animals kept at zoos and had some apprehension about Saturday's event, but did not want to deny her daughter an experience she also had as a child.

"I actually said to my daughter we may feel bad for the animals today," Swann said. "But I wanted her to see a circus. We're here because I'm seeing if my daughter likes it."

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